There's colorism in every society. Japanese women are considered beautiful if they are fair (tan women are considered loose).
Black women are considered to be more beautiful the lighter and more caucasoid features they have (though they are not caucasoid). And some lighter black women aren't considered black by their darker counterparts.
Light skin is a sign of money. Wealthy women can stay inside all day, while the poorer ones are outside, and thus become darker due to their exposure to the sun.
However, for white people, a sign of health and wealth is to be tan, because as so many jobs are not moving inside (desks, computers, etc), having tan skin shows that you have the free time and money to become tan.
I'm very fair. I'm often mistaken for Italian or Spanish. However I often wish that I were darker, so I would feel closer to my own ethnic groups. Sometimes desi's don't believe that I'm desi (I'm half Arab as well). On both sides, I feel as though I have to prove what I am, and it becomes very tiresome and redundant.
In many societies, fair skin is equated to beauty. So it's definitely not a phenomenon with desi's only. Houri in Islam are described as fair, wide eyed beauties. So the concept of fair equating to beauty has it's roots in religion as well.
Fair skin can be beautiful, but it's the tone, texture, and health of the skin that make one truly beautiful. Dark skins are more prone to hyperpigmentation, while light skin is not. There's a host of issues that accompany all skin types and tones, so it's really a give and take.
But I do see how fair skin is prized. I'm always complimented on my fair shade, and I often feel offended by it.
I guess I've got the opposite problem lol
That is very interesting. I did hear that in history class... that in the olden days fair skin was a sign of wealth in the American society because it showed that the women got to stay in doors all day because they didn't have to work.
